Dolphin Tales
by rachbeall
Summary: Sawyer has returned, and he's not the only one that's happy about it. :)
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello to everyone who takes a moment to stop by and read this story! Welcome!**_

_**I love both Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2. After watching the second film, I decided to see what fan fiction existed for them - I was disappointed to find only 17 stories at that time (now 22...mine makes 23). Most were written before Dolphin Tale 2 came out, but a few were written after. I  
read all of them.**_

_**With regard to the other stories, I will only make one comment - the timeline of the second movie does not seem to be taken into consideration in any of the post DT2 ones that I have read. If you note the calendar in the movie, it says that Sawyer is to leave on September 27th. If you check the SEA Semester website, it shows the semester as starting on September 29th and ending on December 23rd - that puts Sawyer home right before Christmas. For that reason, I have made the holidays a component of my own story. (The intent is not at all to write a holiday story - that is just where the timeline happens to fall and it'd be silly for me to ignore it.)**_

_**Also, I chose the New Zealand program rather than the Caribbean one, as I felt that Sawyer would be more interested in "The Global Ocean" than "Colonization to Conservation". All SEA Semester information in the story was obtained directly from their website. It's very interesting, so by all means check it out!**_

_**As always, nothing but the plot and any original characters belong to me!**_

**1.**

Sawyer carefully maneuvered across the gangplank connecting the magnificent brigantine he had called home for the last five and half weeks to the dock where it would be moored until after the holidays. Once safely across, he turned around for one last look at the fine vessel, mentally bidding her a fond goodbye. He shivered, pulling the collar of his coat more snugly around his neck and tucking his hands firmly into his pockets with a sigh. His breath was clearly visible in the crisp December air, and he thought for the thousandth time that he was not suited for cold weather. He had enjoyed the six and a half weeks he'd spent in Woods Hole, Massachusetts before he had set sail at the beginning of November, but it had only been _Autumn_ cold then (and he had left that behind for the warmth of late Spring in New Zealand). Now it was _Winter_ cold.

As he shifted the duffel bag on his shoulder and made his way towards the entrance of the dock – falling into step with several of his now former crewmates - he smiled at the thought of Winter. He may not be particularly fond of the Winter up here in the North, but he was definitely fond of a Winter that was in the South. He grinned when he remembered that he would be seeing her soon. He had loved his time in SEA Semester and was so glad that he had chosen to be a part of it, but he had definitely missed Winter and the aquarium...and his mom….and Kyle….and _everyone_, really. Despite the biting cold, he blushed at the thought of a certain someone that he had missed more than he really cared to admit.

But, before the young man's mind could wander into alarming – yet confusing – territory, he was nudged out of his thoughts by the young woman walking next to him. "Earth to Sawyer! Hey! Where did you go?"

Sawyer started and sheepishly glanced at the pretty auburn haired Boston University Junior who had been kind of like a big sister to him during the past semester. "Sorry, Anna! Where you saying something to me?"

Anna chuckled in amusement and shook her head. "_I_ wasn't." She gestured to the end of the walkway, "But _Kyle_ has been trying to get your attention for the last few minutes."

The teenager's eyes widened and he looked to where she was pointing. Sure enough, his cousin was there waving and calling his name. "Oh…right." He glanced back to her with a shrug. "I got lost in my thoughts, I guess."

"Lost in your thoughts, huh?" She grinned mischievously. "Thoughts about what? Or should I say _whom_? Maybe you were thinking about being reunited with this _friend_ – Hazel, is it? – that I've heard so much about?" She put her arm around his shoulder, "Hmmm?"

Sawyer blushed again, "Um, I was thinking about home…and Winter…and the aquarium…all that stuff. You know."

Anna chuckled again, "Oh _yes_, I _definitely_ know."

The young man squirmed under her arm and looked away, no longer even remotely feeling the cold. "Um…Kyle is waiting for me. I should probably go."

The grin remained on the impish woman's face as she replied, "Of course. I'll walk you over. But don't think I don't know that you are just trying to change the subject. I'll let it go this time, though." She winked as she removed her arm. "Consider it my Christmas gift to you."

His look of relief was not missed by the astute college student as she motioned towards the rest of their group. "We should say goodbye first, though, don't you think?"

Sawyer nodded with a smile. This group had been really great. They had all taken him under their wings like a kid brother, but had never once babied him. They had included him in everything, and had really seemed to value his opinions and experience. They had all become good friends – a team - despite the age differences. He was used to that at the aquarium, but he hadn't really expected it to be like that with a bunch of college students that he'd never met. He could not have been happier to have been wrong.

After many goodbyes, promises to stay in touch, and cheery exclamations of "Merry Christmas!", "Happy New Year!", and "Happy Holidays!", the two finally made their way over to the patiently waiting former soldier.

The handsome Boston University Senior grabbed his cousin into a huge hug that lifted him off of his feet. "Welcome back, Sawyer!"

The teen grinned as he was set back onto his feet. "Thanks, Kyle. And thanks for coming to pick me up."

Kyle returned the grin. "Of course! You're my favorite cousin, after all."

"I'm your only cousin, Kyle."

"Eh, that's just a technicality." He then turned to Anna and gave her a quick hug. "Welcome back to you, too, Anna! It's good to see you!" He put his hand on Sawyer's shoulder. "Thanks for looking out for our guy here."

"It was my pleasure!" She blushed a little, but smiled sweetly at the attractive Pre Med student. "Sawyer is great."

Kyle smiled warmly and squeezed his cousin's shoulder, "Yeah, he is."

The young man in question looked down at the ground in discomfort. Anna decided that embarrassing him twice in less than an hour was probably more than enough, so she decided to change the subject. "Well, I don't want to keep you guys. I know you have an early flight tomorrow." She pulled Sawyer into a hug. "Take care, Sawyer."

She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "And keep in touch! I need to stay up to date on Winter and the aquarium…and _all that stuff_. You know."

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Yeah…_I know_."

She winked at him one more time, then turned her attention to his cousin. "Kyle, great to see you. You take care, too, and I'll see you next semester."

She gave a little wave and started to walk away, but stopped after only a few paces. She turned back around with a bright smile "Oh, how could I forget? You boys have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

They replied simultaneously, with smiles of their own. "You too!"

Kyle's eyes followed her as she walked over to a friend's car. He watched her until she was safely in the vehicle, then turned back to Sawyer. He grabbed his cousin's duffel and slung it over his own shoulder, then jabbed a thumb towards a silver Jeep that had seen better days. "Okay, ready to go?"

Sawyer nodded and Kyle slung his arm loosely around the younger male's neck, guiding him over to the SUV. "I want to hear all about your trip!"

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

_**Here's Chapter 2! (And it's even longer than Chapter 1!) I hope everyone enjoys it!**_

_**_**As always, nothing but the plot and any original characters belong to me!**_**_

**2.**

Kyle swung the door of his apartment open and allowed his cousin to precede him in. "Whew, it's cold out there! Too cold for us warm bloods!"

Sawyer lobbed his duffel onto the couch and turned back toward the door. "No kidding!"

Kyle shut the door and dropped his keys into a dish on the top of a bookshelf to his right. He shrugged out of his coat and draped it over the back of a well-worn leather armchair. "So, are you hungry? I could really go for a pizza. Il Mondo's delivers. You game?"

"Yeah, that sounds great." Sawyer shrugged out of his own coat and shot his cousin a self-conscious smile. "But…uh…would it be okay if I took a shower first? I've really been looking forward to a _real_ hot shower."

"Yeah, of course! Have at it!" He took Sawyer's coat and placed it with his own. He then pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and began scrolling through his contacts. "I'll just order the pizza. It should be here by the time you're done." He looked up. "Mushroom okay?"

"Yeah, perfect." Sawyer turned, snagged his duffel bag, and headed in the direction of the hallway that led to the bathroom and bedrooms. He paused just before he reached it, however, and swiveled back towards his cousin. "Um, Kyle?"

Kyle looked up from his cell again. "Yeah, buddy?"

"Could we get some of those hot wings they make, too? They're awesome."

The older cousin grinned. "Definitely!"

Sawyer returned the grin. "Great! Thanks." He then resumed his original course and disappeared down the hallway.

Kyle chuckled, then walked into the kitchen as he put his phone to his ear. "I love that kid."

Thirty minutes later the apartment was filled with the wonderful aroma of a combination of Italian food and buffalo sauce. A wet-haired Sawyer walked into the living room sporting a pair of gray sweatpants and a royal blue hoodie with WHOI emblazoned across the chest in large white block letters and a line of smaller white text beneath it.

Kyle looked up from the couch. "He lives! Here I thought I was going to have to send in the Coast Guard."

"Haha….very funny, Kyle."

"Did you leave any hot water for the rest of the building there, pal?" Kyle said as he pulled out a slice of pizza and put it on a plate for his cousin. He nudged the plate across the coffee table as Sawyer collapsed into a recliner.

"It wasn't that long." He picked up the plate and took a generous bite of the pizza. He chewed and swallowed, then smiled sheepishly. "It was just _really_ nice."

Kyle laughed and set a can of soda in front of the teen currently devouring his dinner. "I'll bet."

He leaned back and helped himself to his own slice of pizza. "I'm just teasing you, cuz. After all those weeks sharing tight spaces on a sailboat, it probably felt like heaven to have a big shower all to yourself for as long as you liked."

Sawyer polished off his slice, then reached for another. "You have no idea."

As the young man reclined back again, Kyle noticed the letters on the front of his sweatshirt. "Whoi?"

Sawyer looked over at him in confusion, his second piece of pizza suspended halfway between his plate and his mouth. "Huh?"

Kyle pointed at his cousin's chest. "Your shirt."

Sawyer looked down. "Oh! WHOI. It stands for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. It was one of the places I studied before setting sail for New Zealand."

"Oh right, you told me about that." Kyle took a sip of his soda. "You studied at some other places there, too, right?"

Sawyer nodded and put his pizza back on his plate and set it on the end of the coffee table so that he could grab his own soda. He cracked it open, took a sip, then continued. "There are a lot of marine research places in Woods Hole. There's the Marine Biological Laboratory, the Woods Hole Research Center, the United States Geological Survey, the National Marine Fisheries Service…and WHOI, obviously. They say 'Woods Hole is to Scientists what Paris is to Artists.'."

Kyle piled some wings on his plate and opened a little styrofoam container of blue cheese dressing. "Wow. Sounds like it."

Sawyer returned his soda to the table and picked up his plate. "It was pretty cool. WHOI was my favorite, though, I think." His eyes lit up as he remembered something he had wanted to tell his cousin back in the Fall, but had never gotten the chance to. He set his plate back down and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "I got to see Alvin!"

"Alvin?"

Sawyer nodded. "Yeah, you know…the submersible that was used in the Titanic exploration back in the '80s."

Kyle smiled at his cousin's excitement and swallowed a bite of blue cheese drenched hot wing. "Oh yeah. That_ is_ pretty cool!"

The plate of pizza resumed its position in the lap of the teenager. He took another bite and washed it down with a gulp of soda. "It's had a lot of improvements since then, of course. It actually had a major overhaul pretty recently, so that it could go even deeper into the ocean than before. Usually Alvin is aboard a research vessel named Atlantis, but it was in Woods Hole for a sort of checkup, so we got to see it."

"That's pretty neat, Sawyer. I can see why WHOI was your favorite."

Sawyer smiled. "The other places were also pretty cool…but yeah." He reached for some wings. "Anna said it was her favorite, too."

"Oh yeah?" Kyle casually took a sip of soda. "You spent a lot of time with Anna?"

Sawyer grabbed a napkin from a pile next to the pizza box and wiped some errant blue cheese from his face. "Yeah, I guess. She sort of adopted me from the beginning. She said that the two of you were friends, so _we_ should be friends, too." He then gave his cousin a reproachful look. "She also told me that you had asked her to look out for me."

Kyle raised his chin haughtily. "I can neither confirm nor deny that statement."

Sawyer shook his head with a small smile. "Whatever. I thought you were studying to be a doctor, not a lawyer."

Kyle just laughed and dug back into his wings.

Both cousins ate in companionable silence for a little while, content just to be in each other's company. Kyle finished first and pushed his plate away. "So…you like Anna?"

Sawyer looked up from his wings in mild confusion. _We're still talking about Anna?_ "Of course. She's great. She's kind of like you….only a girl."

"What do you mean?"

"She's older than me, but I'm comfortable with her. We get along really well and she's easy to talk to. She looks out for me….stuff like that." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why?"

"Oh, no reason. Just curious." Kyle began clearing off the coffee table. "You done?"

Sawyer snagged one more wing. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks."

The older cousin grinned and stood up, carrying the pile of stuff into the kitchen. "You're welcome."

Sawyer watched him walk away. _Just curious, huh?_ He knew that – as a fifteen year old boy – he could be pretty oblivious most of the time, but even_ he_ could see that his cousin was trying to hide interest in a certain auburn haired beauty. Come to think of it, he had actually noticed the very same tendency with Anna whenever he mentioned Kyle. _Hmmm…interesting._

He wasn't quite sure what to do about it, or even if he _should_ do anything about it. Anna and Kyle were both adults – as weird as it was for him to think of _Kyle_ as an adult – and adults tended to not appreciate teens interfering in their personal lives…no matter how much they may like the particular teen. Besides, he'd feel pretty awkward even if he tried. What did he know about _romance_?

_Hazel wouldn't feel awkward…she'd just jump right in! _He smiled at the thought – he was pretty sure that awkward wasn't even in his best friend's vocabulary. She was fearless, that one! He'd heard people say that homeschoolers were super shy and backward….well, they had obviously never met Hazel Haskett! He smirked. _Shy is another word that probably doesn't exist in her vocabulary. _It was one of the reasons he loved her.

_Wait, LOVE? Where did that come from? _Jolted out of his reverie, he set his plate down. _Hazel is just my FRIEND. I mean, she IS my BEST friend…but so is Winter. I don't love Winter…well, I DO…but not THAT way, obviously. That would be BEYOND creepy! It's just like that with Hazel…well, not JUST like that…Hazel isn't a wild animal, obviously. And it definitely wouldn't be creepy to love her that way…but I don't. Do I? We are JUST friends…right?_

Sawyer felt like he was clumsily stumbling around in his own mind. He definitely felt confused…and kind of uncomfortable…but he had absolutely no idea what to do about it. Lately, when it came to thoughts of a certain freckled blonde, he felt about as graceless as Rufus. He fell back into the chair with a sigh. _Awkward is definitely a part of MY vocabulary_.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_**Here's Chapter 3! Thank you to those who have reviewed and those who have favorited/are following this story. I hope you enjoy this installment!  
**_

_**_**As always, nothing but the plot and any original characters belong to me!**_**_

_**_**3.**_**_

Kyle walked out of the kitchen, completely unaware of his cousin's flustered state. "So, tomorrow is Christmas Eve. It's going to be pretty crazy for you to have to do your Christmas shopping then."

Sawyer shook himself out of his jumbled thoughts. "Christmas shopping? I don't need to do any Christmas shopping."

Kyle resumed his seat on the overstuffed couch. "No?"

"No, I took care of that while I was away."

His cousin leaned back and crossed his arms. "Really? You took care of it while you were away…..on a _sailboat_ in the _South Pacific_?"

Sawyer grinned. "Yeah, actually."

"What, you wrote us all poetry or something?"

The young man gave his cousin an incredulous look. "Poetry? Really, Kyle?"

"Well, what else could you do for gifts when you're on a boat?"

"We weren't on the boat the whole time, you know." Sawyer leaned back and crossed his own arms. "We made port stops in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington." He turned his body a little more towards his cousin and propped his elbow on the arm of the chair. "Isn't it weird that there's a Dunedin in New Zealand, just like in Florida?"

Kyle nodded. "It's definitely not the most common of names."

"Yeah….it's not much like _our _Dunedin, though. Anyway, I did most of my shopping in Auckland, since it was right at the beginning of the trip. I figured I'd be pretty busy with research and stuff once we got started."

"Smart. What kind of stuff did you get?"

Sawyer's eyes lit up. "I can show you, if you want. Well, not yours, obviously….but I can show you everybody else's."

"Yeah, let's see what you got."

Sawyer jumped up excitedly, disposed of his plate in the kitchen, and jogged back to the bedrooms. He returned just a few minutes later with his arms full of what appeared to be a bunched up beach towel. He sat back down in the recliner with the bundle on his lap, then began unwrapping the top. "I couldn't get anything big, since whatever I got had to fit into my duffel bag."

He reached into the nest of fabric and pulled out a small octagonal-shaped wooden box with a paua inlay in the shape of a flower. "I got this for Mom." He pointed to the design on the lid. "This flower is called a 'Kowhai'. It's kind of the unofficial flower of New Zealand."

Kyle smiled. "It's pretty."

Sawyer nodded his agreement. "Yeah….you should see the real thing." He then opened the box and pulled out a metal chain attached by a ring to a beautifully carved heart-shaped pendant of delicate wood overlaying mother of pearl. He held it up for Kyle to see. "I got her this necklace, too. The carving is called Kowhaiwhai. It's an old art form of the Maori."

"Maori?"

Sawyer looked up from the gift. "Oh….the Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand."

"Cool! Aunt Lorraine's gonna love that!"

Sawyer smiled and put the necklace back into the box, then set it on the coffee table. He reached into the towel again and pulled out another wooden octagonal-shaped box. This one also had a paua inlay, but it was in the shape of a bird. "I got this one for Hazel." As with his mother's box, he pointed to design on the lid. "This is a Kiwi. They are native to New Zealand. They're kind of funny little birds, but they are pretty cool….really unique. Like Hazel. I thought she'd like it."

Kyle smiled. "I'm sure she will." He cocked his head to the side. "Is there a necklace in that one, too?"

Sawyer grinned. "Yes, as a matter of fact." He opened the box and pulled out a sterling silver chain attached to a round silver pendant a little smaller than a quarter. Pressed into the circle were three vertical eternity symbols intersected by two horizontal eternity symbols, looking much like three interlocking crosses. "This is a Hapu pendant. The lady at the shop said that it represents extended family and friends who are _like_ family." He let Kyle get a good look at it, then returned the pendant to the box and closed the lid. "I figured we were all kind of like family at the aquarium, so…."

Kyle smiled warmly at his cousin. "Wow, Sawyer…..that's really thoughtful!" He leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "A special gift for a special girl, right?"

"Right." _Wait! No! _Sawyer blushed furiously as he set the box next to the other one already on the table. "I mean…um….Hazel's my best friend….she was the first friend I ever really had – other than you, but you don't count since you're related to me – and I just thought…"

Kyle smirked. "I get it, Sawyer….it's okay." He gestured to the bundle. "What else have you got in there?" _Oh wow….Sawyer likes Hazel! He LIKES likes her! How could I have missed that before? _He thought back over the past Summer and was startled to realize something else. _Hazel likes Sawyer, too! _He felt like a complete idiot….it seemed so obvious to him now. _Well, they do say that hindsight is 20/20_.

He wasn't quite sure what to do about these new revelations, or even if he _should_ do anything about it. Sawyer and Hazel were teenagers, and teens tended to not appreciate adults - as weird as it sometimes still was for Kyle to think of himself as an _adult_ \- interfering in their personal lives….no matter how much they may like the particular adult. _Anna would know exactly what to do about this. Woah! Where did that come from? Why am I thinking about her right now? _He shook his head to try to clear his thoughts._ FOCUS…..on SAWYER, Kyle!_

Sawyer looked up from rummaging around in his stash, completely oblivious to his cousin's state of mind. "I got this for Mr. Haskett." In his hands was a mahogany box that he opened to reveal an antique brass nautical compass. "I got it at a little antique shop in Wellington. I thought he could use it on his sailboat….you know, since Rufus broke his other one."

"Sawyer, that is awesome! I'm sure he'll love it!"

The teen ducked his head. "I hope so." He set the box on the table with the other gifts, then once again reached into the makeshift bag. He had a mischievous smile on his face as he pulled out the next item. "I got this for Dr. Clay."

Kyle noticed his cousin's expression and eyed the small nondescript box somewhat suspiciously. "What is it?"

Sawyer handed him the box. "Take a look."

Kyle opened the box, surprised and a little confused at the same time by what he found. Staring up at him was the white face of a man's chrome wristwatch. _Why in the world would this make Sawyer grin like that? _He was about to comment when Sawyer spoke again. "Take a_ good_ look."

Kyle did. _It's a really nice watch, but I don't…..wait, what in the world? _"The numbers are backwards! It goes counter-clockwise!" He looked back up to see his cousin nodding with a huge grin on his face.

"Before I left, Dr. Clay told me this story about his first boat trip to Australia and New Zealand. He said that everyone kept telling him that the toilets in the Southern Hemisphere flushed in the opposite direction of the ones in the Northern Hemisphere – that they flushed counter-clockwise."

"Do they?"

Sawyer chuckled. "No. The design of a toilet is the only thing that determines which way the water will go down…..it doesn't matter if you are in New Zealand or New York. Dr. Clay tried to explain that to people, but they just told him that it was only a matter of time until he saw that he was wrong – that once he actually got down there, he'd see."

Kyle chuckled with his cousin. "I'm sure that Dr. Clay will get a good laugh out of this, then."

He closed the box and added it to the collection of gifts slowly filling up his coffee table. "Got anything else in that magic towel of yours? What about Dr. McCarthy? Did you get anything for him?"

"Yeah, I did. There was this custom bowtie shop in Christchurch. I got him a couple of silk ties - one is red with little blue dolphins on it and the other one is green with little brown kiwis on it." He reached down into the bunched up towel and brought out the bowties for the college student to see.

"Nice….definitely a good gift for him. Anything else?"

Sawyer started carefully returning the gifts to the soft fabric piled on his lap. "Well, there's yours, but I already told you that you can't see it. I have a couple of t-shirts in my duffel bag for Uncle Max and Aunt Alyce. They specifically told me that if I insisted on bringing them something back, that is all they'd accept….and postcards. So, I got them some of those, too."

Kyle shook his head and laughed lightly. "Yup, that sounds like my parents."

Sawyer smiled and nodded. "The rest are just some small odds and ends for people at the aquarium."

"Well done, Sawyer. I'm impressed." He grinned impishly. "But I'll bet the ladies would still have appreciated some poetry, too."

Sawyer threw a pillow at his cousin, then got up and started heading back to the bedrooms with his precious cargo. He glanced at a clock on the wall. "It's getting late…shouldn't we be heading to bed? Our plane leaves at 5AM tomorrow, right?"

"Right!" Kyle collected their empty soda cans and put them into the recycle bin in the kitchen, before following Sawyer down the hall. "Set your alarm for 3AM, okay? I want to make sure that we get to the airport early enough to get through all the TSA security without a problem."

Sawyer nodded sleepily as he turned into the bedroom that was his for the night. "Okay. 'Night, Kyle."

"'Night, Sawyer. It's great to have you back!"

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

_**Here's Chapter 4...my apologies for taking so long to update! Life and a full-time job tend to get in the way of any creative writing.  
**_

_**Thanks so much to those who have favorited this story, as well as those who are following it. It is tremendously flattering to know that people enjoy the story enough to want to keep up with it! **_**=)**_**  
**_

_**Thank you also to those of you who have reviewed! I have never - and will never - ask for reviews, but I do very much appreciate them! So, I want to make sure to acknowledge those who have taken the time to share their thoughts - a huge thank you goes out to all of you who have done so! (You know who you are.)  
**_

_**_**As always, nothing but the plot and any original characters belong to me!**_**_

_**_**4.**_**_

Sawyer and Kyle both breathed sighs of relief as they walked into the baggage claim area of the Tampa Bay Airport. It was wonderful to be back in the warmth of their own home state, but it was even more wonderful to be free of the cramped confines of the plane...not to mention also being blessedly free of the four year old boy with fiery hair (and a personality to match) that had kicked the backs of their seats off and on for almost the entire flight. They had endured nearly five hours of his incessant obnoxiousness, though it had certainly _felt_ much longer than that.

They shook their heads as the heinous child made a bee-line for the conveyer belts. His frazzled mother managed to grab him just as he was leaping onto a moving belt. He screamed and kicked his displeasure as she yanked him back, but the woman was undeterred and held onto him with an iron grip. She whisked him away to the bathroom, much to the delight of those around them. Sawyer felt like cheering, but restrained himself. He did not think that such behavior would be appropriate - given the setting - but he also had a sneaking suspicion that this particular group of people would not even remotely have a problem with it. In fact, he was pretty certain that most - if not all - of them would actually cheer _with_ him. He was tempted, but settled for just sharing commiserating glances with his fellow passengers as they all waited patiently for their flight's assigned belt to start bringing up the luggage.

"Thank God you were never like that, Sawyer!"

The young man looked up at his cousin. "Are you kidding? My mom would have KILLED me if I acted like that!"

"You got that right, kid."

Sawyer swung around at the sound of the familiar feminine voice behind him. "Mom!"

Lorraine pulled her son into a tight hug that he returned unreservedly. "Oh, I missed you, Sawyer!"

"I missed you too, Mom."

She pulled back, keeping her hands on his shoulders. "Have you grown? You look taller."

"I don't know…maybe."

She brushed his hair from his forehead. "Your _hair_ has definitely grown. You need a haircut."

"Mooommm. It's not that long."

She ignored his comment and studied his face. "You've gotten some sun, too. You look kind of tan."

"Oh please! _Sawyer_? _Tan_? As if that would ever happen. Freckled, maybe…but _tan_? No way."

Sawyer looked over his mother's shoulder and grinned at the sight that met his eyes. "Hazel!" He stepped around Lorraine, crossed his arms, and arched an eyebrow at the impudent young woman before him. "You're one to talk about _freckles_."

Hazel ducked her head with a sheepish grin and unconsciously ran a finger down her nose. "Yeah yeah. I know." She glanced back up to her friend, only to find him watching her with an unreadable expression on his face. Her smile faltered slightly as she suddenly felt a little nervous, though she was at a complete loss as to _why_ she should feel that way. _What is there to be nervous about?_ This was _Sawyer_ – her very best friend in the whole world – she never felt nervous around him. She loved him. _Whoa...wait, what? Love? Who said anything about love?_

She blinked and suddenly realized that she and Sawyer had just been staring at each other. That wouldn't do. Sawyer was _finally_ home after three very long months away and she was beyond ecstatic about it. She was NOT going to allow their reunion to become awkward just because she was inexplicably experiencing some arbitrary musings.

_Get it together, Haskett!_ Although it did take a bit of effort on her part, she managed to dismiss the confusing whirl of thoughts trying to make themselves at home and plastered on her usual exuberant smile. "Welcome home, Sawyer! I've missed…" Strong lean young arms wrapped around her, causing pleased surprise to cascade throughout her entire body. "…you."

Sawyer hugged his best friend tightly. He didn't even care that he could feel the beginnings of a blush creeping up his neck and cheeks as she returned the hug. "I missed you too, Hazel."

Lorraine smiled at the teenagers, then shifted her attention to her nephew. Kyle had been observing the reunion with unmasked interest - and a not so subtle grin - but quickly schooled his features when he saw his aunt turning towards him. She pulled him into a warm hug, just as she had done with her son. "Welcome home, Kyle. It's good to see you."

Kyle hugged her back. "It's good to see you too, Aunt Lorraine."

She pulled back, the smile still on her face. "Thanks for staying up in Boston to pick up Sawyer. I know your break started a couple of weeks ago and there was nothing else keeping you there. I want you to know that I really appreciate it."

"No problem! He's my favorite cousin, after all."

Lorraine crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "He's your only cousin, Kyle."

Kyle grinned. "Like I told Sawyer, that's just a technicality."

Lorraine chuckled and shook her head. She then gestured towards the bathrooms where the exhausted mother had dragged her unpleasant offspring. "I'm guessing your flight was a little more eventful than you would have liked?"

Sawyer stepped back over to his mother, just as his cousin was about to answer. "Ugh. You have NO idea, Mom."

Kyle nodded. "That kid was…um...well…he was definitely _something_."

"He was evil, that's what he was."

Hazel walked over to Kyle, giving him a quick hug of welcome as Sawyer continued. "He kicked our seats practically the whole time. He wanted more than one bag of peanuts and screamed until he got what he wanted, then he threw them all over the place."

Kyle joined in, thinly veiled annoyance in his voice. "He spillled his drinks everywhere. He made a million trips to the bathroom. He ran up and down the aisles with his arms out like this..." He demonstrated by holding each of his arms straight out at his sides. "…pretending to be a plane and whacking everyone in the aisle seats." He grimaced. "I was in one of those seats."

Hazel glanced back and forth between the cousins in mild shock. "Wow…..that's awful! The flight attendants just put up with that?"

Sawyer shrugged. "They tried to stop him, but there wasn't a lot they could do. They don't want to get sued or anything. And it's not like they could've just asked them to leave."

"No kidding. Man, it was like you guys were trapped and tortured."

A rueful smile crept to Sawyer's face at Hazel's remark. "I think that's a pretty good way to describe it." He shifted his gaze to his cousin. "Wouldn't you say, Kyle?"

"Definitely."

Further conversation was temporarily cut off as the luggage belt behind them abruptly began its weary march, drawing the focused attention of all those clustered around it. The boys each alternately managed to snag their bags off of the moving track as it made its cycle. They slung the duffels over their shoulders, then followed the ladies out to the parking lot.

Lorraine draped her arm across her son's shoulder. "So, it's Christmas Eve…"

The expression on Sawyer's face clearly conveyed that he felt that she had just stated something pretty obvious. "Yeah, I know. So?"

"So, it's kind of a hassle to have to shop on Christmas Eve, and a lot of businesses even close early. If you want to get your shopping done in time, we'll have to..."

Kyle chimed in with a grin. "Oh, Sawyer doesn't need to do any Christmas shopping, Aunt Lorraine. He took care of that while he was away."

Lorraine threw her nephew a skeptical look. "While he was away?"

He grinned wider. "Yup."

Hazel looked as skeptical as Lorraine. "On a _boat_?"

Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Seriously, guys! I wasn't on the boat the _whole_ time. Sheez!"

Kyle was amused, but did his best to contain it. He readjusted the bag on his shoulder and glanced out to the lot. "So, where did you park, Aunt Lorraine?"

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

_**_**Hello all! Welcome back to those of you who have stuck with this story despite the fact that it has been 15 months since I last updated it - you all rock! Thank you so much for sticking **_**__**_**with it!  
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_**_**Welcome to those of you who are reading this story for the first time! (You rock, too!)**_**_

_**_**I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to continue the story, but real life and a full-time job have this annoying tendency to make demands on my time...and rightfully so, truth be told. That said, I truly never intended to leave the story hanging for as long as I did.**_**_

_**_**(Sadly, it is not even a record for me - I once unintentionally left my other story hanging for about 4 years. I'm not proud of this. *Shame Face*)**_**_

_**_**I will try to do better, but I can make no promises...other than to promise to try - which I do. I mean that I promise...to try, not to do. I mean I DO promise to TRY to do better...yeah. Ah, my eloquence astounds you, does it not? ;)  
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_**_**Thank you also to all of you who are following/have favorited this story! It makes me happy that you like it enough to ensure that you are able to keep reading it! A big thank you definitely goes to those of you who have reviewed and encouraged me to update, as well!**_**_

_**_**As always, nothing but the plot and any original characters belong to me!**_**_

_**_**And now, without further ado:  
**_**_

_**_**5.**_**_

Sawyer and Kyle tossed their bags into the back of Lorraine's SUV, then piled into it with the typical grace of men in their teens and twenties. Kyle took the front passenger seat next to his aunt, while Sawyer hopped into the back passenger side seat next to Hazel.

The young woman grinned at Sawyer as he clicked his seat belt into place. "So…Christmas shopping was a part of your grand adventure, huh?"

Sawyer rolled his eyes, but couldn't resist returning the grin. "I guess you could say that. Really, though, it's more like I actually took a _break_ from my 'grand adventure' so that I could get my shopping done. I knew I wouldn't have enough time once I got back."

"Oh, come on! You mean to tell me it wasn't an adventure shopping in a foreign country?"

Sawyer sat back into his seat as his mother skillfully maneuvered the car back out of its parking spot. "Well, yeah. I mean, it was definitely different. But I've gotta admit, it was pretty cool too."

Hazel's grin instantly transitioned from teasing to enthusiastic, as she unconsciously leaned almost imperceptibly towards him. "I bet it was! It would be SO cool to be able to do that! I'm actually kind of jealous."

Straightening up, she readjusted her position so that she could more directly face him, turning her body and pulling her right knee up onto the seat until she was sitting sort of half Indian style. "Was it hard figuring out the difference in currency? Was it fun hearing the accents? Do they barter there, or do they have set prices? Do they have sales tax? Were things expensive? Do they have the same kind of stuff there as we have here, or was stuff there totally different? What did you get me?"

The rush of words abruptly ceased as Hazel suddenly realized how far her excited curiosity had taken her. The enthusiasm disappeared from her eyes as they widened in dismay at her verbal faux pas. Her face blossomed in color as she sputtered on in uncharacteristic embarrassment. "I didn't mean…I just thought, you know, if you _had _gotten me something…but it's totally okay, if not! It's not like I expect you to get me gifts or anything. I just…um…"

Sawyer held up his hand. "Hazel, relax. It's okay. I've given you a gift every Christmas since we've met. Why would this year be any different?"

Relieved and pleased by her friend's unaffected response to her atypical self-conscious prattling, Hazel smiled sheepishly. "Okay."

Sawyer crossed his arms and threw her an impish smirk. "I'm not telling you what I got for you, though. You'll just have to wait until tonight." He hesitated, then glanced from Hazel to his mother and back. "I mean, if you guys are still coming to our house tonight. That's still the plan, right?"

Hazel's face took on an impish smirk of her own. "Sawyer, relax. We've come to your house every Christmas Eve since we've met. Why would this year be any different?"

He laughed and replied just as she had. "Okay."

Kyle, who had not so subtly been eavesdropping on the teens, turned a bit towards the backseat. "Hey, Hazel?"

"Yeah, Kyle?"

"_I_ know what Sawyer got for you."

She glanced slyly at her best friend before replying with interest. "Oh _really_?"

"Yeah, he showed it to me." Kyle looked to his left. "I know what he got for _you_, too, Aunt Lorraine. You know, just in case you were wondering."

Sawyer bristled immediately. "Kyle! Don't you dare!"

Kyle plastered on the most innocent expression he could manage, but the effect was rather ruined by his complete inability to keep the puckish mirth from showing on his face. "How do you girls feel about poetry?"

Hazel blinked. "Poetry?"

"Kyle! Seriously! You _know_ I did _not_ write poetry!"

"Okay, settle down, boys." Lorraine dutifully gave her nephew a stern, albeit amused, look. "Kyle, you will _not_ say what gifts Sawyer has for _anyone_. We'll all find out when we open them. No sooner. Understand?"

He laughed and gave her a cheeky salute. "Yes, ma'am! "

"Thanks, Mom."

Lorraine very briefly glanced back over her shoulder to give her son a warm and loving smile. However, being the responsible driver that she was, she wasted no time in returning her attention to the road before her. "For the record, though, I wouldn't have minded if you _had_ written me a poem, honey."

Sawyer sighed dramatically, "Thanks a lot, Kyle."

Kyle swiveled back to face his cousin. "Come on, Sawyer. You know I was just joking, right? It was just a little misdirection; that's all. I'd never _really_ tell them anything! It'd break the guy code of honor. I mean, they _are_ girls, after all."

The younger man laughed as both women simultaneously exclaimed in protest. "Yeah Kyle, I know."

Kyle grinned and winked at his cousin. He nodded subtly (but meaningfully) towards the female half of the car, then resumed his forward facing position. The grin never left his face, even when his aunt flashed him a raised eyebrow. If anything, it grew wider. Lorraine was pretty sure she heard him chuckling to himself as he turned his head to glance out of the window. She shook her head with a roll of her eyes. _Boys._

Sawyer relaxed back into his seat, sporting a grin of his own. Hazel was shooting him some serious looks, but he knew her well enough to know that it was just an act - she wasn't _really_ upset at all. In fact, he could sense her amusement (admittedly mixed with a touch of exasperation) bubbling just under the surface. No one could ever say that Hazel Haskett wasn't a good sport – it was part of what made teasing her so much fun. He knew his mom also took the antics of her son and nephew in stride, and was not in the least offended by the pseudo-snub. Nevertheless, he made a show of smoothing over their mock outrage by regaling them with amusing stories of his Christmas shopping adventures in New Zealand. Kyle had heard the stories on the plane already, but was glad for the opportunity to hear them again without the obnoxious and incessant interruptions of an unruly urchin who was the epitome of a holy terror.

Time flew by as the young 'adventurer' was peppered with a steady flow of questions and comments from each of his traveling companions. He was so engrossed in the conversation that he didn't pay any attention to the world outside of the car, until Lorraine pulled to a stop in a certain parking lot. She backed into an empty spot, then shifted the car into park and shut off the ignition. She turned to her son with a huge smile on her face and said, "I thought you might want to stop here for a bit before heading back to the house."

Hazel piped in, "Yeah, and she needed to drop me off here anyway, so…"

Sawyer blinked, then ducked his head to glance through the windshield. With effort, he managed to shift his focus from where he had _been_ to where he actually _was_. A huge smile of his own broke out on his face as his eyes lit upon the oh so familiar façade of his most favorite place in the world - Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

"All right!" Sawyer had his belt off in record speed and jumped out of the car, taking off at a run for the employee entrance.

"Hey, wait for me!" To her extreme aggravation, Hazel's seat belt was not quite as accommodating as Sawyer's had been and she had to wrestle with it to get it to release. _Come on! _Finally the obstinate thing grudgingly freed her and she flew out of the car. Sawyer was already out of sight, so she pumped her legs all the harder to catch up. Reaching the building quickly, she barely pulled the glass door open before darting through it.

Lorraine and Kyle both just laughed and shook their heads, following behind the teens at a more leisurely pace.

Sawyer ran at a breakneck speed, excitement overtaking him. He flew up the stairs and around to the dolphin pens. His incredible familiarity with the building allowed him to maintain his rapid pace all the way to his desired destination. Nevertheless, it was still a miracle that he made it there without any collisions. He'd barely managed to dodge Rufus (and was pretty sure that the twinge at the side of his lower back meant he'd pulled a muscle doing so), but he couldn't find it in him to be annoyed. Not today. He skidded to a stop at the edge of the pool that was practically a second home to him, his eyes scanning the water before he had even come to a complete stop. After what seemed like an eternity, but was in fact only seconds, his eyes found what they were searching for. "Winter!"

TBC


End file.
